I was hoping that on this album Fear Factory would abandon some of the annoying "nu-metal" stylings that plagued their previous album _Obsolete_ [CoC #32]. I was hoping for something as innovative and original as _Demanufacture_ or _Remanufacture_ [CoC #20]. Instead, we are presented with little more then a rehash of _Obsolete_. Some minor changes here and there, but apart from atrocious rapping on "Back the Fuck Up", no surprises. In retrospect, the rap seems to be inevitable given the band's tendencies on "Edgecrusher" off the previous album. For those unfamiliar with Fear Factory, what we have here are is industrial-tinged nu-metal. Fear Factory appear to have found their comfort zone and are reluctant to venture outside its borders. This time around they sound even more like Korn and others of their ilk. Again Fear Factory expand on the concept of their previous albums, that of the conflict between man and machine. This trademark, like many others, is growing increasingly stale -- like the by-now obligatory inclusion of two slower, less heavy songs. Admittedly, "Invisible Wounds (Dark Bodies)" is probably the best song on the album. On a positive note, the musicianship is above par. Dino will never be known as a virtuoso guitarist, but he has undoubtedly created his own incontrovertible style. More's the pity that he sounds so much like Korn, utilising the same rolling guitar sound. Bell prefers to shout rather then growl, though his ethereal clean singing is vastly under utilised. Herrera shows us once again why he is regarded as one of the metal drummers. This is not really a bad album; the musicianship can't be faulted, the songwriting is not too bad... it's just too predictable, and we have grown to expect so much more from this band.